Location, Location, Location (and Profit, Profit, Profit)


Dear Reader,

As many of you know, we’re in Utah this week looking at houses. And you’ve probably know the magic rule of real estate: location, location, location.

We’ve toured some stunning homes—brand-new builds with amazing kitchens, huge islands opening into vaulted great rooms, and even massive basements (Utah does basements right…California, not so much! 😉).

But here’s the kicker. Some of the communities don’t have an HOA.

You step into this perfect house—SubZero fridge, elegant finishes, every detail sparkling—and then you glance out the backyard.…

👉 One neighbor has a broken-down car in the driveway.
👉 Another has dead grass and weeds everywhere.

Suddenly, that “perfect” home doesn’t look quite so perfect anymore.

And it made me think about business.

What’s the “bad neighbor” in your business?

  • That one offer you keep because it’s fun, even though it’s not profitable.
  • That client who drains your energy (but you don’t want to fire).
  • That expense you justify… but never really delivers ROI.

Sometimes the mess isn’t inside your business—it’s right next to it, dragging everything down.

At Finance MakeOver, our CFO team helps you spot those “bad neighbors” in your numbers, so you can finally make the tough calls. Because when you cut out what’s not working, the value of your whole business goes up.

👉 Want us to help you identify and remove your “bad neighbor”?

Book your FREE Strategic Finance Review!

Profitably Yours,

Karen Lake

photo

Finance MakeOver

If you’re a passionate entrepreneur with a great service and happy customers, the problem might not be you—it might be your financial systems.💸 It’s time for a Finance MakeOver. We’ll give you the roadmap, tools, and simple strategies to turn your cash-eating business into a lean, green profit machine. Connect with Me.

Read more from Finance MakeOver

Hi Reader, As many of you know, I own a short-term rental business in Lake Arrowhead, California — we own a big, beautiful home we host for family reunions, birthdays, events, and even church retreats. 🏔️🏡 This week, a property manager friend called me asking about insurance for her cleaning company. Totally valid question — but as we talked, I realized something that stopped me cold… She had formed an LLC over a year ago for liability protection — but all of her income and expenses were...

Hi Reader, Okay — if you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you either:*** Already opened your Relay account (🎉), or*** You’re about to… because it takes less than 10 minutes. Seriously — you only need: Your EIN Your driver’s license Ownership percentages No long appointments.No endless paperwork.No “bring your firstborn” requirements like Chase. 😅 If you haven’t opened Relay yet, do that first (it’s the easiest part):https://app.relayfi.com/v3/register?referralcode=finance-makeover Now for...

Hi Reader, Karen here — coming to you from our new home in Utah! 🏠We’ve been here about 5–7 weeks now, and we really love it. The neighbors have been kind, our church community has been incredibly welcoming, and it’s already starting to feel like home. But let me confess something… Even though the house was move-in ready, little things I want to “fix” keep popping up — and my first instinct? Spend the money now.Make it pretty now.Don’t look at my envelopes. Don’t check the budget. Just get it...